AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — An Amarillo man has pleaded guilty in Amarillo Federal Court to a violation of “Interstate Threatening Communications,” after he made a series of threatening phone calls and online submissions to Chabad Lubavitch Headquarters in December 2021.
According to the documents, filed Sept. 7 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas Amarillo Division, Christopher Brown threatened the organization through phone voicemails and online messages under the pseudonym Madrikh Obidiah. According to previous reports by MyHighPlains.com, the Chabad Lubavitch organization is a Jewish organization that provides spiritual guidance and assistance to Jewish people.
In voicemails, phone calls and online messages, Brown threatened to kill three individuals involved with the organizations and stated that he was going to “blow (the individuals’) heads off.” According to the factual resume, FBI agents arrested Brown at his residence in south Amarillo on Dec. 8, 2021.
According to Brown’s plea agreement, the maximum penalties the Court can impose include:
- Imprisonment for a period not to exceed five years;
- A fine not to exceed $250,000 or twice any pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victim(s);
- A term of supervised release of not more than three years, which may be mandatory under the law and will follow any term of imprisonment;
- Restitution to victims or to the community, which is mandatory under the law, and which the defendant agrees may include restitution arising from all relevant conduct, not limited to that arising from the offense of conviction alone;
- Forfeiture of property.
Rebekah Jones, a woman federally charged with assaulting a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon during the day in which Brown was arrested, is facing trial for her charges later this year.
According to previous reports, Jones allegedly pointed a gun at an FBI agent when officers were attempting to arrest Brown on Dec. 8, 2021. At the time, the agent allegedly was able to free the gun from Jones.
According to documents filed in August, Jones faces trial at 9 a.m. Nov. 8 in Amarillo Federal Court. According to previous reports, Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the charges.
